De-cluttering: Creating a Path to Peace

Happy New Year! Today, the new year opens out before us as a clean slate waiting for us to write our future. The magic of this time of year is that we are reminded of the fact that we can choose how to live each day, that we can create the path that lies before us. 

With the beginning of a new year, many people are inspired to create resolutions. You've heard them (or maybe even made some of them) before:

• I resolve to lose 10 pounds.
• I resolve to quit smoking.
• I resolve to eat healthier or exercise daily. 

All of these resolutions are made with the best of intentions but unfortunately are often forgotten by the time the page of the calendar turns to February. Why does this inevitably seem to happen? Perhaps it is the incredible pressure we put upon ourselves to drastically change our habitual behaviors (learned over a great deal of time and reinforced regularly). When we first miss the mark in trying out a new way of being, it seems as though all is lost, and discouraged, we give up until a new year is upon us once again. For this reason, while I love the new beginning that this special day creates, I am not a big believer in resolutions. 

And so rather than thinking about setting forth any resolutions, I am choosing to simply raise my awareness on one particular topic. This year, I will be mindful of clutter in my life. Without the burden of having to overhaul everything because of a strict and specific resolution, I choose to be aware of the clutter in my life and find ways to minimize it because for me, de-cluttering is a path to peace.

There are so many ways in which I hope to rid myself of clutter this year. Some of them will likely be physical manifestations of clutter. For example, I always find it cathartic to clean out my closet and expunge it of ill-fitting clothes, shoes that are worn out, and handbags that are no longer in style. It makes getting dressed every morning a much more enjoyable process knowing that everything I see before me helps me feel like my best self. Even as an organized person, there are always new spaces where I can let go of items and find new order. Rather than setting out to overhaul my house, I will just be aware of any areas that seem particularly cluttered and when necessary, focus on letting some of the items go. 

But beyond tackling the physical spaces around me, I also think about de-cluttering other things that no longer serve me. I intend to let go of those grievances or criticisms that get in the way of me moving forward in my life. I will accept the lessons to be learned from such situations and bid any negative emotions attached to them goodbye. Rather than taking up precious space in my mind and soul, I will wish these memories well and be on my way. 

The same is true of relationships that no longer bring me joy or fulfillment. As a new mom, wife, friend, daughter and sister, there is certainly no abundance of free time. And so I must choose wisely about where to direct my time and attentions. I choose to focus my energy on those relationships with people that fill me up - people with whom I find pleasure in their company and always leave wanting to spend just a few minutes more. Those relationships with people who leave me feeling frustrated or like my energy reserves have been drained are ones that I will choose to prune back - not with any ill will or mal-intent, simply with a recognition that as we go through life, people and relationships change and sometimes no longer bring out the best in either party. Again, I will be thankful for their presence in my life and for the memories I will cherish, but then I will allow us both to move on.

Don't get me wrong...relationships are perhaps the most difficult thing of all to de-clutter but they also allow some of the most space to allow new relationships to form. 

I will also be mindful of the clutter I take into my body - things like eating too much or consuming too much sugar, fat, sodium and preservatives - and the marks they leave in the form of extra weight, sluggishness, and a lack of feeling healthy and vibrant. When I focus my awareness on ridding myself of clutter in this way, I recognize that I can make continuous choices about the things I consume without being paralyzed by having eaten a slice of pumpkin pie. 

Clearing the clutter isn't a one time thing. It starts first as an awareness and then becomes a process that we must revisit time and time again to reaffirm the type of life we choose to live. And each time we identify a piece of clutter to discard, we are renewed by the sense of lightness and openness to what lies ahead. 

Wishing you peace, lightness and a clutter-free year!

Table Time

Last weekend one of my wonderful clients and I worked on an area that is front and center in her home - her kitchen table. Because it is such a prominent piece of furniture, it has become a catch-all for many items en route to their "homes".  When we started, this is what the table looked like:

We immediately got to work tackling the contents of the table. There were lots of questions asked along the way:

• What would you ideally like to use this space for? 
• Do you really need to keep this item or that? 
• Is there a better place for this item? 
• What can we re-purpose or recycle?

My client thoughtfully replied to each question and together we were able to create a much more streamlined space for her office essentials as well as room for what she someday hopes to do...eat dinner with her husband at their kitchen table!

Making Space

Do you ever find that your day to day life feels too full? Are you days packed full of appointments, errands, obligations to family and friends? And do you find your home, office, or car too full of STUFF? This is a common feeling in this fast-paced world we're living in. All of this clutter can cause us to feel weighed down and stuck. It can feel like we're hardly enjoying life because we are too busy managing it all.

There is an inherent connection between our physical space and our mental and emotional space.

Play along with me for a moment...I would like you to visualize two different places. First, whether you've been there yourself or have only seen photos, think about Times Square in New York City. It's a place teeming with tall buildings, thousands of people rushing about, huge billboards, lighted signs, taxicabs screaming down the street, policemen directing traffic with whistles. Do you have an image of Times Square in your head? Can your visualize standing in the center of it all ?

Now think about how you're body feels right now. Is your heart beating faster? Are your shoulders tensing up? Is your mind beginning to race just thinking about all of the stimulating activities and noises going on?

Okay, now I'd like you visualize a different kind of place...think of a spa. Most spas are made up of comfortably sized rooms painted in muted colors and have just a few serene paintings hung on the wall.  There may be one or two soft, inviting couches or chairs, a soothing waterfall, and a few fresh plants. You have plenty of room to move about in this space. Imagine being in this room.

Now stop and check in with your body right now. Has your breathing slowed down? Has tension in your Do you feel more at ease?

What you likely noticed was just the thought of being in a spa was more relaxing than envisioning being in Times Square. This simple exercise is related to how we experience our personal space as well. When we walk into our cars that teem with fast food wrappers and last week's mail or our homes that are filled with piles of paper on counters and sticking out of cabinets, clothes spilling out of closets and laundry rooms, this physical clutter tampers with our mental clarity. By addressing the "stuff" in our life and bringing some order to our spaces, we can actually feel lighter and more energetic. This ultimately allows us to make room for the things we truly desire - a sense of peace, rest, time for friends and family, even sleep!